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There doesn't seem to be much about Leith on here but there must be plenty ex- Leith Nautical guys on here.
Am especially interested in Engineer cadets. Was there my self from 71 to 73 Also did Seconds & Chiefs Part A there, although at the new ollege.

There doesn't seem to be much about Leith on here but there must be plenty ex- Leith Nautical guys on here.
Am especially interested in Engineer cadets. Was there my self from 71 to 73 Also did Seconds & Chiefs Part A there, although at the new ollege.

Chris Cockburn
Ex. Ben Line.

Hi Chris
I'm guessing you did your phase three at GCNS in 74? There was quite a few of you Leith refugees at the College of Knowledge back then mostly good guys - especially the Bikers as I recall

Did 1 year pre sea cadet course at Dolphin/LNC in 58/59 also 2nd Mates in 62 and Mates in 64/65. 2nd Mates was at the annex and Mates in the main building. Cant remember the lecturer's name for Mates but he was crap and I didnt go back subsequently.

ONC phase 1 1973, phase 3/2nd Mates 1975/1976, all at annexe in Commercial Street (and other hostelrys), Mates 1978 at new college (convoy of cars heading to Nobles every Thursday lunchtime) and Masters at new college 1983.

ONC phase 1 1973, phase 3/2nd Mates 1975/1976, all at annexe in Commercial Street (and other hostelrys), Mates 1978 at new college (convoy of cars heading to Nobles every Thursday lunchtime) and Masters at new college 1983.

Convoy of cars to Nobles ? When I did 2nd mates at Leith 1965/6 most of us couldn't afford cars . We did manage to get to Nobles (on foot) most lunch times though, also smoko at a little cafe on Bernard St (rt hand side approaching constitution st). Both Nobles and the Cafe are still there although (in my view) much diminished.

Leith is so much changed that last year I got lost in it.

The 2nd Mates Lecturer at Leith was Johnnie (Johnstone.. Johnson..?) . Took all subjects and was first class+. Thanks to his first aid on my (and others) patchy education I passed the rest of my tickets, and several other exams without undue difficulty.
Radar was held at a place out in the harbour by an irascible ex RN Type.
The MOT (BOT ..?) examiner was Capt Fields.

Johnnie Johnston used to reckon when you were ready to to sit your ticket and more than once was found to be correct. 2nd mates upstairs in an old school in Links place and the rest in rooms above 'Stalkers' the marine suppliers in commecial street. Exam rooms first up at Hope street(westend) then above car sales at Links place. Used the Biscuit factory flagpole for deviascope brgs. Commander Moffat did the radar course out at what was the pier end. I.Wemyss

jimthehat: Post#10: Did radar observers way back in 59, train from Greenock every morning to Glasgow then train to edinburgh and bus down to the bottom of leith walk and the reverse every night.

Commander Moffat was the lecturer when I also did the Radar Observers Course in Leith in 1959. He was given to uttering flowery phrases such as, “Spectacular, specular scattering,” as we students laboured to keep up with his dictation.

An interesting man, I am surprised at the dearth of references to him online, particularly since so many of our Ben Line brethren must have attended his lectures.

I stand to be corrected in any of the following:
He was said to have lost part of a foot in the Second War. An accomplished marine artist, his work graced many a B I calendar. The RA is reputed to have turned him down having considered his paintings, “Too draughtsman-like,” or words to that effect. In his time, he carried out work on the design of radar reflectors for the Forth buoyage system.

Commander Moffat gave me a naval style bollocking for arriving back late from a mid-course weekend in Aberdeen. It has stayed with me.

Johnnie Johnston used to reckon when you were ready to to sit your ticket and more than once was found to be correct. 2nd mates upstairs in an old school in Links place and the rest in rooms above 'Stalkers' the marine suppliers in commecial street. Exam rooms first up at Hope street(westend) then above car sales at Links place. Used the Biscuit factory flagpole for deviascope brgs. Commander Moffat did the radar course out at what was the pier end. I.Wemyss

Yes I too was at Links Place and the exam rooms indeed were aptly named at Hope street in Edinburgh.
The Radar course out at the end of the pier at Leith harbour was quite a trek.

Second's and Chief's, early 70s. The area of Leith where the old college was is now unrecogniseable of course. No more Steamboat tavern, King's Wark as it was now gone, is Noble's still there?? Lots of memories.......

jimthehat: Post#10: "........................Commander Moffat gave me a naval style bollocking for arriving back late from a mid-course weekend in Aberdeen. It has stayed with me.

Aberdonian

He gave me one too.

My motorscooter being in drydock for repairs, I had to catch the bus from Kingsknowe which involved a change. The schedule was such that I could either arrive at the radar station just in time maybe or get up very early and arrive about an hour before the place opened. Guess which option I took? As you say naval style bollocking which didn't go down well (I'd had enough of those on the Worcester). Mutual antipathy ensued although the hatchet was buried by the end of the course (one week? two weeks ?) and he let me keep one of those fancy transparent plotting sheets.

Had Mr Moffat for radar obs, didn't know he was a "commander". Still remember him drumming into us PRF - "pulse rate firing/pulse repitition frequency". One student had failed previous course, he sat through the lectures with his notes in front of him, he reckoned Moffat repeated everything word for word like a tape recorder. Told us he had plotted the radar reflector being loaded aboard a boat at Granton and watched as it was fitted on the Oxcar's light. I believe he had health problems.

Moffat had a radar set with an 'A' scan and he plotted the return signal strength from different radar reflectors on buoys offshore in different conditions to see which worked best., Whether this was for his own or was a scientific trial I don't know. Iain Wemyss

Hi, I was at the TS Dolphin in 63/64, Deck - and the agony to find that they burnt her near Boness!!! I did not know this, due to living overseas. It is great to see Captain Tait again, I also saw Mr Flockhart a couple of times later in Leith Docks, he was third mate on a wee coaster. I was from Edinburgh, so I travelled to her every day. My daily job was to scrub the boarding ladder every morning, even in the snow... Did any of you islanders attend those years?
I must try to dig out the class photo,
Alex. Robertson (called Moonman due to my blond hair)

Did PMG and Radar ticket from 1967 to 1970. Well remember morse teacher Ted White, very much a character. Also remember trying to do Rose Street, a pint in every pub ..... not easy. Henry Robbs shipyard at the back of the college, could watch a ship taking shape as you battled the studies.

All gone now.

Ah well what's the point in being maudling ... everything changes ... 2nd Law of Thermodynamics. ☺

__________________
"Irreverence is the champion of liberty and its only sure defense."
Mark Twain

The Radar course out at the end of the pier at Leith harbour was quite a trek.

Bill... Walked out to same radar station that day in March 56 after picking up my PMG to break the news of my success to two of my pals just about to pass out as cadets.
Can you believe today one of them is still at sea some of the time!

My goodness that guy has a wonderful work ethic. I would not like to be working now except for doing my hobbies and chores round the house and garden (and making wine). Must be fit too which I alas am not.